How to update Kodi on Amazon Fire TV Stick

The Amazon Fire TV Stick has become one of the most popular devices on which to install Kodi, the free and open-source home theater app. Unfortunately, Kodi is still not available in the Amazon App Store for Fire TV, so it must be installed using third-party tools and the official Kodi APK file. That means Kodi can’t receive important updates to its features, functions, and security.

In this article, we’ll show you how to update Kodi on a Fire TV Stick the easy way. If you’ve not done so already, check out our tutorial on how to install Kodi on a Fire TV Stick. Then we’ll show you how to update Kodi along with any repositories and addons you have installed.

Before you start, get a VPN

We recommend all Kodi users employ a VPN in order to protect themselves from threats posed by Kodi add-ons, both official and unofficial. By encrypting all of your Fire TV Stick’s internet traffic and routing it through an intermediary server, hackers won’t be able to decipher your online activity or identify your real IP address and location. Many VPNs automatically filter out malware as well. VPNs are also useful for unblocking geo-locked content that’s normally only available to viewers from a specific country.

Our top recommendation is IPVanish, a VPN with a huge global network of servers and enough bandwidth to handle both HD on-demand and live streams with minimal buffering. IPVanish is a no-logs provider that uses military-grade encryption to keep your data safe while in transit. It is easy to install this VPN on a Firestick or Fire TV.

How to update Kodi 16 Jarvis to Kodi 17 Krypton on Fire TV

If you’re updating Kodi to a whole new version, such as from Krypton (Kodi version 16) to Krypton (Kodi version 17), we recommend you completely uninstall your old version of Kodi before upgrading. Treat different major software versions like whole new apps. You’ll also want to get rid of any old skins and custom Kodi builds. Failing to uninstall the old version of Kodi can lead to dependency errors, crashes, and other issues due to incompatibility.

Unfortunately, performing a clean install means you’ll also have to reinstall all of your repositories and add-ons. These major software version updates don’t occur that often, so it’s not something you’ll need to do regularly.

If you’re using a skin on Kodi, switch it back to the default skin, Confluence. Do this by going to Settings > Appearance > Skin. Select your skin name and switch it to Confluence.

Uninstall the old version of Kodi. From the Fire TV Home screen, go to Settings > Applications > Manage installed applications

Scroll down to and select Kodi

Select Uninstall, and then Uninstall again to confirm

If you haven’t already, download and install the Downloader app. You can find it by using the search function on the Fire TV home screen. It has a bright orange logo.

Type the following URL into Downloader to get the latest version of Kodi: https://www.comparitech.com/go/latest-kodi/

Once the download finishes, you’ll be prompted to install Kodi. Read the permissions and click Install

The link we provide (https://www.comparitech.com/go/latest-kodi/) is a redirect URL that always points to the latest stable version of Kodi compatible with Fire TV. For convenience, it’s much easier to type in that URL than the official one on the Kodi website, but it leads to the same APK file.

How to update Kodi for minor updates and patches on a Fire TV Stick

If you’re updating Kodi within the same major software version number, there’s no need to uninstall the old versiond first. For example, when updating from Krypton version 17.3 to 17.5, a clean install is not necessary. We always recommend using the latest stable version of Kodi. Even though these are technically only minor updates and patches, they often contain important security improvements and bug fixes.

To update Kodi within the same major software version, follow these instructions:

If you’re using a skin on Kodi, switch it back to the default skin, Confluence. Do this by going to Settings > Appearance > Skin. Click your skin name and switch it to Confluence.

If you haven’t already, download and install the Downloader app. You can find it by using the search function on the Fire TV home screen. It has a bright orange logo.

Type the following URL into Downloader to get the latest version of Kodi: https://www.comparitech.com/go/latest-kodi/

Once the download finishes, you’ll be prompted to install Kodi. Read the permissions and click Install

How to update Kodi repositories on a Fire TV Stick

Keeping Kodi up to date is a healthy practice, but don’t neglect your repos and addons. Most of us don’t just use stock Kodi and addons from the official repo, so it’s important to stay on top of updates for those as well.

Failing to update your repos can result in dependency errors and can in turn prevent your addons from updating properly. To update a Kodi repo, follow these instructions:

From the Kodi home screen, go to Add-ons > Install from repository

Long-press the repository that the add-on in question came from and select Information

Select Update and choose the latest version

Warning: Kodi should only be used for content to which you have the legal right to access. Neither the Kodi Foundation nor Comparitech advocates the use of Kodi for piracy.

How to update Kodi addons on Fire TV Stick

Keeping your addons up to date ensures you’re getting the best sources, latest features, and optimum security. Updating addons is a simple task in Kodi:

From the Kodi home screen, go to Add-ons

Long-press the add-on in question and select Information

Select Update and choose the latest stable version

Be wary of automatically updating addons. There have been instances in the past of addon maintainers introducing malicious code through updates. This code could run in the background to mine cryptocurrencies for a third party, steal your login credentials, keep logs of your viewing activity, add your device to a botnet, and/or run malware, adware, and spyware. Even if it’s not intentional, addon updates can create new attack vectors for hackers by inadvertently opening up new security vulnerabilities. Always use a VPN!